Roof construction



Dec. 15, 1931.

A. B. FOSSEEN ROOF CONSTRUCTION F iled Feb. 13, 1930 A ltorney Patented Dec. 15, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE V i.

ARTHUR B. FOSSEEN, F SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, .ASSIGNOR TO WASHINGTON IBRllICK,

LIME & SEWER PIPE 00., OF SPOKANE; WASHINGTON i ROOF CONSTRUCTION Application filed February 13, 1930. Serial No. 428,131.

My present invention relates to improvements in roof construction of the shingle type utilizing tile shingles and designed for use on dwelling houses and other building structures.

By the utilization of the tile shingles of'my invention a weather-proof and water-proof covering is obtained which is comparatively light in weight and durable and presents a neat and substantial appearance.

Because of the special construction of the tile shingles, they may be manufactured at a low cost of production and the roof covering may belaid without the necessity of skilled or expert labor. I

In carrying out my invention a pair of tiles are molded from clay or other suitablematerial. in the form of a hollow or cellular structure having parallel end walls and intermediate partitions, which are scored preparatory to burning or baking the cellular structure. and the completed structure after being baked. or hardened is capable of being broken apart on the scored lines to form the roof tiles.

In thus manufacturing the cellular structure its sides which ultimately become a pair of con'1 )lementary roof tiles, are fashioned with flat faces and the tiles are prevented 80 from warping during the baking or hardening process, thereby insuring the production of tile of uniform shape and exactly fiat contour for use in construction of a roof. The

tiles forming part of the cellular structure are protected from breakage while being stored or shi pped due to the presence of the integral walls and par itions of the cellular structure,

and when the tiles are to be laid the parts of the cellular structure may readily be broken apart by the tile layer who uses a hammer to tap on the breakable parts of the cellular structure.

The partition structures become a part of the roof in providing weather-tight and watier-tight features between the tile. The tile shingles are capable of being laid and supported in such manner that the total weight of the roof covering is equally and uniformly distributed over the entire area of the sheathing, and the joints between the tile shingles are capable of shedding water on a gable roof, and preventing a driving ram from gaining entrance beneath the shingles.

The invention consists in certain novel comone complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention wherein the parts are combined and arranged according to the best'mode I have thus far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention. 9

v Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of the cellular structuresin which a pair of tiles are embodied, and withpartitions which provide water proofing means at the joints between the shingles. A p v Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of the cellular structure showing the grooves for breaking away the tile and the partitions.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken througha portion of a gable roof at or near the eaves thereof, on line 33 of Fig. 4. p

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of the lower edge of a roof showing the manner of applyng my roof construction thereon.

Figure dis a cross-sectionalfragmentary view through a roof showing the relation of the tile to the roof construction.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4:.

In order that the general relation and arrangement of parts maybe understood, I have indicated in Figure 3 a portion of a gable roof near its eaves to illustrate a side view, of the roof rafters R andthe sheathing boards S of the sheathing which is laid onin the usual manner before the shingles are secured in place. At a suitable distance above the lower edge or eave portion of the roof, a wood strip 10 of required dimensions is nailed on the'sheathing, and above this horizontally arranged strip at properly spaced intervals are other cleats disposedparallel'thereto, and so arranged for supporting the tile shingles 11 and their weather-stripping members 12.

The cleats are nailed or otherwise securely fastened on the topsurface of the roof structure and extend from end to end of the roof section. These cleats are formed with a lower lip 13 providing a ledge upon which the weather-stripping member 12 may rest and be anchored against displacement.

The tile shingle 11 is made up in suitable standard sizes and colors and is preferably rectangular in shape with two downturned ends 14 and 15, the former providing a supporting hook to engage against the upper edge of the cleat 10 as the tile body rests upon the outer face of a cleat. The lower ends 15 of the shingles overlap and rest upon the next lower course of shingles.

The lower, downturned flange 15 of the tile forms a weather-wall, and as the lower end of an upper tile overlaps the upper end of a lower tile, the flange 15 rests on the top surface of the tile below it, with a suitable lap.

The weather strip, or joint tile 12 is obtained from the original hollow block of Figure 1, and this weather strip, which is laid at a joint beneath adjoining'roof tile is preferably fashioned on its upper face with corrugations as 16 and 17, the former being a central groove and the latter being narrower, lateral grooves in the upper face of the joint tile. These grooves, it will be apparent function to guide the drainage of moisture down the gable roof, and prevent lateral movement of the moisture at the oint-s with relation to the roof tile. The upper edges of the courses of joint tile are laid on the rabbeted cleat 10, the edges resting on the ledge 13 of the cleat and the lower edges of the joint tile are supported by the lower flanges 15 of the roof tile.

To insure against lateral displacement of the weather strips or joint tile 12, the cleat 10 is fashioned with a height sufficient to insure that the flange 14 of the roof tile does not rest on nor touch the sheathing S in Figure 3, and therefore the body of the tile is supported directly upon the joint tile 12. The weight of the tile 11 is thus borne by the joint tile 12 and the joint tile rests at its upper end on the rabbeted cleat 13. Likewise the depth of the lower flange 15 of the roof tile is madeslightly less than the thickness of the joint tile, in order that the roof tile will rest upon the joint tile and thus hold the latter to a secure anchorage.

In case additional security is required, I contemplate the use of cement compositions for holding the joint tile in place, and the cement will be applied as the process of laying the roof progresses v To insure a finished appearance of the tile roof along the eaves I provide a special L- shaped tile course made up of eavestile 18, of which the base 19 rests directly upon the sheathing S, and the end wall 20 of this The upper free ends of the eaves-tile 18 are retained under an inverted rabbeted cleat 21 which is nailed to the sheathing, and the ledge 22 of this inverted cleat overlaps the upper edge of the course of eaves-tile as seen in Figure 3.

The upper face of the inverted cleat 21 is beveled to accommodate the lowest or first course of joint-tile 12.

In the customary shingle roof, it is the usual practice to lay the wood shingles in such manner that the lap is less than onethird the total length of the shingle.

Since only a minimum area of lap is required of one course over its next lower course to secure the necessary anchorage for the roof structure, it will be apparent that the number of tiles used may be reduced to a minimum, to reduce the cost and to decrease the weight of the roof.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is In a roof structure the combination with a course of Lshaped eaves-tile and an in verted rabbeted cleat for securing the upper edges of the course, of a second rabbeted cleat, a course of roof-tile having anchoring flanges engaged over the second cleat, said roof tile having lower flanges supporting the L-shaped eaves-tile and a course of joint-tile of the tile in the first course of the roof. 

